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Joshua Dean is a former employee of Spirit AeroSystems, an aircraft manufacturer that produces critical components, such as airframes for Boeing. Photo/X/@malininworld
WASHINGTON – Joshua Dean, a former Spirit AeroSystems employee who raised concerns about weak production standards for the Boeing 737 MAX jet, died after a sudden and serious illness.
In March, another Boeing whistleblower was found dead in a hotel parking lot and authorities tentatively described it as a suicide.
The 737 MAX aircraft has a history of accidents, including two crashes that caused multiple deaths.
In October 2018, one of the planes crashed in Indonesia, claiming the lives of all 189 people on board.
Five months later, another Boeing 737 MAX operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed soon after takeoff, killing all 157 passengers and crew.
These two tragedies resulted in the airline being grounded for 20 months.
In January, a Boeing 737 MAX-9 operated by Alaska Airlines had one of its doors and part of its fuselage detach in mid-air shortly after takeoff.
An audit by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of Boeing and one of its major suppliers, Spirit AeroSystems, subsequently “identified non-compliance issues in Boeing’s production process controls, parts handling and storage, and product control.”
Dean’s family members revealed the former quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems died Tuesday morning.
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